The present invention relates to a camera having a position holding mechanism for holding the opening-closing position of a barrier.
The conventional position holding mechanism uses a click. For example, Japanese Patent Disclosure (Kokai) No. 6-102570 proposes a click mechanism comprising a ball and a spring. It is proposed that the ball and the spring are used in combination for stopping the barrier of a camera at a predetermined position.
Japanese Patent Application No. 8-307765 discloses a click mechanism using a wire spring. The click mechanism includes a metal wire having a circular cross section, which is used as a cantilever beam perpendicular to the opening-closing direction of the barrier. The wire is, for example, a linear member of a predetermined length and having a circular cross section, which does not require a bending treatment. One end portion of the wire is pressed into the structure and a support is formed midway along of the wire.
In the conventional click mechanism disclosed in, for example, JP No. 6-102570 noted above, it is certainly possible to make the camera compact by using the combination of the barrier for a collapsible mount type camera and the switch interlocked with the barrier. However, it is difficult to assemble the combination of a plurality of click balls and the click spring proposed in this prior art. Also, the degree of compactness achieved is limited because a space larger than the diameter of the click balls used is required.
In the click mechanism proposed in JP No. 8-307765 noted above, moreover the wire spring used comprises a linear rod-like member and, thus, the processing labor can be diminished. However, it is necessary and difficult to ensure a space of the click portion for receiving the wire spring. In addition, there is an inconvenience that the click portion for the barrier is positioned in the space for moving other members.